The state of Connecticut will be the first state in the nation to have a statewide Emergency Notification System (ENS) that allows use of the 9-1-1 system to spread word of bad weather, missing persons, natural disasters and other crises to residents.

ENS systems - often referred to as “Reverse 9-1-1” - are in place now in a number of Connecticut cities and towns, but have not been implemented on a statewide basis there or in any other state.

 

By September 1, Connecticut residents will be able to specify preferred methods of contact, ranging from landline and cellular telephones to pagers, e-mail and faxes. They'll also be able to choose the information they want to receive, from road closures to alerts about pandemic disease. And if they want, they can opt out of the system.

 

The system also allows officials to alert some or all of the population to a specific situation, and by geographic areas.